Interpretation of the revised EU Universal Charger Directive (EU) 2022/2380!

In order to further unify charging ports, reduce resource waste and promote green environmental protection, the EU officially issued the revised Directive (EU) 2022/2380 on universal chargers on December 7, 2022, to supplement the specific implementation requirements of 3.3 (a) of RED Directive 2014/53/EU on universal charging interfaces. This means that the requirements for unifying charging ports and charging protocols for related products have entered the mandatory stage.

I. Scope and Implementation Time

The revised Directive (EU) 2022/2380 covers the following 13 categories of wireless devices:

1. Handheld mobile phones;

2. Tablets;

3. Digital cameras;

4. Headphones;

5. Headsets with microphone;

6. Handheld videogame consoles;

7. Portable speakers;

8. E-readers;

9. Keyboards;

10. Mouse;

11. Portable navigation systems;

12. Earbuds;

13. Laptops.

Implementation time: Categories 1-12 above will take effect on December 28, 2024 , and laptops will take effect on April 28, 2026 .

II. Interpretation of the main contents

1.? Wireless products in the catalogue that can be charged via cables:

• Equipped with a USB-Type C charging port that complies with EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022 standard;
• Can be charged with a charging cable compliant with EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022.

2. If the wireless products in the catalog can be charged by cables exceeding 5V, 3A or 15W (supporting PD fast charging), they must:

• USB PD (Power Delivery) protocol compliant with EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022 standard;
• If you use other charging protocols, you need to ensure that no matter which charging device you use, it can support all the functions of the USB PD (Power Delivery) protocol.

III. Labeling and Instruction Manual Requirements

1. The product is equipped with a charger logo:

2. The product is not equipped with a charger logo:

Labeling requirements:

• It should be printed on the packaging or affixed to the packaging in the form of a label;
• It must be displayed in a visible and legible manner;
• If it is sold online, it also needs to be close to the price tag;
• It needs to be scaled proportionally, where "a" should not be less than 7mm.

3. Charger specifications and compatibility identification:

Labeling requirements:

• It should be printed on the packaging or affixed to the packaging in the form of a label;
• It must be displayed in a visible and legible manner;
• If it is sold online, it also needs to be close to the price tag;
• It needs to be scaled proportionally, where "a" should not be less than 7mm.

Logo Description:

• XX The minimum power required to charge the device;
• YY is the maximum power required for the device to achieve maximum charging speed;
• If the device supports USB PD, it must be marked with the abbreviation "USB PD".

4. The instructions should include the charging capability specifications and compatibility information of the radio equipment:

1. The maximum and minimum power required for charging, as described below: “the power delivered by the charger must be between min [xx] Watts required by the radio equipment, and max [yy] Watts in order to achieve the maximum charging speed”.
2. If the device supports fast charging, such as charging at more than 5V, 3A or 15W, it must be marked with the text "USB PD fast charging". In addition, if the device also supports other charging protocols, you can also use the corresponding text to describe them.

IV. Q&A Summary of EU official guidance documents

1. Do the rules in the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) introduced by the Common Charger Directive apply only to rechargeable devices?

Yes. The “universal charger” rule applies to radio equipment that: (a) belongs to the categories or classes of radio equipment listed in Part I of Annex Ia; (b) has a removable or embedded rechargeable battery; and (c) can be recharged via a wired charger.

2.In? addition to the USB-C interface, are other additional dedicated charging interfaces allowed?

Yes. The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) only requires that radio equipment covered by the "universal charger" rule be equipped with a USB-C interface. Therefore, as long as the device is equipped with a unified charging interface (USB-C), additional dedicated charging interfaces can also be used.

3.Can? I use the 6-pin USB-C port for charging?

No. Only USB-C connectors (12-pin, 16-pin and 24-pin) as specified in standard EN IEC 62680-1-3 may be used.

4.? Can a radio device be sold with only a proprietary charging port and a converter that converts the proprietary charging port to a USB-C port?

No. However, radio equipment may be equipped with a proprietary charging solution, as long as the radio equipment is also equipped with a unified charging interface (USB-C) compliant with standard EN IEC 62680-1-3 (referenced in Annex Ia).

5.? Can radio devices that only have wireless charging capabilities be sold on the market without adopting a unified charging solution?

Yes. Since such radio devices cannot be charged via wired charging, there is no need for a unified (wired) charging solution.

6.? If a manufacturer launches a product that does not comply with the RED Universal Charger Directive into the EU market, what penalties will it face?

Economic operators who fail to comply with this requirement may face penalties, and specific enforcement measures are detailed in Chapter V of the RED. Market surveillance agencies responsible for enforcement may take a range of corrective and/or restrictive measures against products that do not meet the requirements, including withdrawing or recalling non-compliant products.

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Source: bacl